Librarian's attitudes toward filtering: The turning tide

[Bill Drew]

> 
> It's definitely worth noting that every time the filtering debate comes
> up on this list, more and more librarians express pro-filtering
> sentiments.  Librarians I know in "Real Life" are increasingly willing
> to openly support the idea of true, meaningful selection of Internet
> resources, and are rejecting the stuporous "everything on the net or
> nothing" false dichotomy, which turns librarian's selection role into
> that of a dumbed-down public access port, and standing up to the moral
> arrogance and professional stupidity of defending porn in children's
> rooms.


I am not supporting porn in children's rooms.  I am upholding my stand
as an advocate for the First Amendment.  There is NOT one software
package out there that just filters so-called porn.  Thats what started
this whole argument in the first place.  If you filter "porn" next you
will be filtering political thought because some parent doesn't want
their child exposed to newe ideas.  

I consider myself a christian and a responsible parent.  My son and
daughter surf the net from my home without any filtering software.  I
stop by and look at what they are doing or sit down with them.  If they
find something "pornographic" it may confuse them but I doubt it will do
them irreparable harm.  They are more likely to see stuff I would prefer
they not watch when they are switching channels on TV.  We also watch TV
and read together.

> 
> I  applaud  every librarian who has had the courage to brave being
> called a thought policeman, cybernotsi, censor, collaborator, etc. among
> other nice things the anti-filtering extremists have called us on this
> list,  and stand up for their selection rights, and most of all, for
> common sense.

It doesn't take courage to take the easy way out.  I wouldn't resort to
the name calling that I have seen here on both sides of this issue.  It
is much harder to support free speech and access to information than it
is to support restrictions.  Just ask any member of the ACLU.

> 
> Let's keep up the fight, we're winning.
> 

Nobody wins when each side tries to alienate the other.  I am a First
Amendment supporter and that is one reason I am a librarian.  Lets keep
cool heads about this and continue this in a calm and reflective manner.

--
Wilfred Drew (Call me "Bill") Systems Librarian (also reference)
SUNY College of Ag. & Tech.;   P.O. Box 902;  Morrisville, NY 13408-0902
E-mail: DREWWE at MORRISVILLE.EDU  Cooltalk:drewwe at 136.204.83.8
powwow:drewwe at wedrew.lib.morrisville.edu
Phone: (315)684-6055 or 684-6060 Fax: (315)684-6115 
New Homepage: http://www.snymor.edu/~drewwe/
Not Just Cows: http://www.morrisville.edu/~drewwe/njc/ 
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--